New Years with the Prentisses
by SVU.BAU.CSI
Summary: Sequel to Christmas with the Prentisses. Ethan survived Christmas now it's New Year's Eve; however, there's a small hitch in plans.


**AN:** Here's the sequel to Christmas with the Prentisses. I hope you enjoy.

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Criminal Minds.

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Alex paced around Ethan and Declan's room as she rambled on and on. "Are you sure you're going to be okay here alone? I don't mind staying."

Ethan nodded. "I'll be fine. I'm already feeling a little better. Besides I have you, Emily, and Penelope on speed dial if anything happens."

"You sure you have everything?" Alex asked.

Ethan looks around him. "Bucket, water, ginger ale, phone, book, I think I'm good."

"I should stay," Alex stated.

"Mom, I'll be fine," Ethan insisted. "Now go and enjoy your time at Dave's and don't worry about me."

"Your my son, it's hard not to worry," Alex informed him.

"It's just the stomach bug I'll be fine," Ethan repeated for what felt to him like the hundredth time.

Alex finally caved. "Okay, just promise to call if you need anything, and I mean anything."

"I promise."

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Ethan's first Christmas after moving in with Emily, Penelope, and their kids had went better than he had expected. That was until he had gotten sick with a stomach virus the day before New Year's Eve. Because of that he was stuck in bed while everyone else went to Dave's for a big party New Year's Eve. It had taken lots of convincing for him to get his mom to still go, but she'd finally caved in.

Now he was trying to read one of the books he had gotten for Christmas. He'd just finished the first chapter when the front door downstairs shut signaling everyone had left. However, he was alarmed when he heard someone walking up the steps. One of the twins had probably forgot something he told himself. That worked until there was a knock on his door. Possible intruders didn't knock; did they? "Who is it?"

"Emily."

Ethan was flooded with relief. "Come in."

Emily opened the door and entered the room taking a seat at the foot of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. What are you still doing here?"

"I may have lied and said I was too tired to go. I don't think they believed me," Emily admitted. "I know you told Allie you were fine, but I thought maybe you could use some company."

Ethan didn't know what to say. "Thank you."

"If you want I was thinking we could watch Doctor Who," Emily suggested.

"I'd like that."

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"Where's Emily and Ethan?" Dave asked as he opened the door.

"Ethan has the stomach bug and Emily was 'tired'," Penelope replied.

"Though we think she knew I didn't want to leave Ethan alone, and she wanted me to come," Alex added.

"Then I guess you'll be taking Emily's place. I don't think she'll mind," Dave said.

"Emily's place?" Alex asked.

Penelope smiled. "After the countdown and all Dave, Hotch, Derek, Emily, Reid, and Will disappear and return very drunk. I've heard on the good stuff, so I'd take his offer."

"I'll think about it," Alex told him.

Erin walked into the room joining them. "Where's Emily and Ethan?"

"Ethan's sick and Emily offered to watch him," Alex explained.

"I hope Emily doesn't get sick," Erin said.

Penelope flinched at the thought. "You and me both. She's worse than the kids."

Alex frowned. "She can't be that bad."

"Hold on to your optimism. It's a very valuable trait," Mattie told her.

Dave and Erin laughed. "Why don't you kids go join the rest up stairs," Erin said.

The kids jogged up the stairs, Mattie and Jo not moving until Penelope sent them a pointed look. "One more year," She reminded them.

"Ava's the same way," Erin said once they were gone. She then turned to Alex. "It's like a rite of passage that when they turn twenty-one they're allowed to spend the entire night downstairs with the adults and not just dinner and an hour before midnight."

"So what can I get you guys to drink? I got tea, lemonade, water, coffee, and pretty much any soda you could think of," Dave informed them.

"Tea," Penelope replied.

"Sprite," Alex told him.

"I'll bring them out. Go join everyone else in the den," Dave instructed.

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"Do you want to try and eat something?" Emily asked two episodes in of their Doctor Who watching.

"Yeah," Ethan replied.

Emily stood up stretching her legs. "How about I make you some soup?"

"Penny says you can't cook," Ethan said with a small smile.

"That's not true," Emily said defending herself. "Though when I say make I mean open a can, pour it into a bowl, and heat it in the microwave. It's the thought that counts right?"

Ethan let out a small chuckle. "Yeah it is."

"Okay I'm gonna go make the soup. Don't start the next episode without me."

Ethan bit his lip. "Is it okay after we eat if we do something else?"

Emily smiled. "Sure"

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"This is so juvenile," Mattie said as the older kids sat around a table that was too small for their height.

"Why did we agree to this?" Tyler, Erin's seventeen year old son, asked while awkwardly trying to stretch his legs out.

"Because we're good siblings and cousins," Jo answered for them.

"I can't wait till next year," Ava, Erin's middle daughter, said.

"Ssh!" Emma said pouting at all of them. "Listen."

"You guys are going to be the bad guys and we're going to catch you," Henry explained.

The older kids nodded; they'd been subject to this game before. It was the little kid's own version of hide and seek where the hiders were the bad guys and the several seekers were the agents trying to catch them. Once you were found and tagged you were either luckily, hand cuffed with one of four pairs of toy handcuffs, or unluckily, had your hands tied up with a jump rope. And in this game the only advantage to being last to be found was bragging rights. There was a variant that involved nerf guns that they, thankfully, wouldn't be playing that night.

"You have till the count of 50," Jack told them before all the little kids turned around and closed their eyes.

Declan and Tyler were the first out of the room; taking off in two different directions. Tyler to his room and Declan to the hall closet. Mattie, Jo, and Ava were next. Jo and Ava headed to the bathroom connected in between two guest rooms knowing they could run out either door. Mattie made her way to Dave's office. She knew there was a built in shelf that had just enough space at the bottom for her to fit that couldn't be seen from the doorway.

Downstairs the adults were having casual discussions that didn't revolve around work; which were rare. "Did Henry enjoy Christmas in New Orleans?"

"He loved it. We took him to meet some of the detectives from my old precinct," Will replied.

"How was Chicago?" Penelope asked Derek.

"Great; though, you know how Mom is about me needing to visit more," Derek replied. "How about you Kid? How was Vegas?"

"It was good," Spencer replied.

"Did you guys have a good Christmas?" JJ asked Penelope and Alex.

"Yes, it wa-" Alex started but was interrupted by a loud crash from upstairs.

She was the first to jump up until Penelope put a hand on her knee. "They're playing agents vs. bad guys. Give it a second."

"I'm fine!" Jo yelled. "Sorry about the blinds!"

Dave sighed. "I don't know how my mansion is still standing after the damage Mattie and Jo have caused over the years."

"I apologize," Penelope said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Dave said with a smile.

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End file.
